The Account of Kāṣṭhīlā (Kāṣṭhīlā-ākhyāna) within the Mohinī Narrative
विपत्तिरपि भद्रैव सन्मार्गे संस्थितस्य तु । न भुक्तं येन सुभगे शैशवेऽपि हरेर्दिने ॥ ११ ॥
vipattirapi bhadraiva sanmārge saṃsthitasya tu | na bhuktaṃ yena subhage śaiśave'pi harerdine || 11 ||
Même l’infortune est vraiment de bon augure pour celui qui demeure établi sur la voie juste, ô bienheureuse, car il n’a pas profané le jour sacré de Hari en mangeant, pas même depuis l’enfance.
Narada (instructional voice within Uttara-bhāga discourse)
Vrata: Hari-dina (Vaiṣṇava fasting day; likely Ekādaśī in broader tradition, but not explicitly named here)
Primary Rasa: bhakti
Secondary Rasa: shanta
It teaches that steadfastness in dharma—especially unwavering observance of Hari’s sacred fast-day—transforms even hardship into spiritual good (bhadra), because the devotee’s life is aligned with Vishnu-bhakti and self-restraint.
Bhakti here is shown as loyal discipline: honoring Hari’s day by not eating (a vrata like Ekādaśī) from an early age. Such consistent devotion makes the devotee inwardly protected, so outward misfortune cannot obstruct spiritual progress.
The practical takeaway is vrata-kāla-niyama (timing/observance rules): recognizing and keeping “Hari’s day” as a regulated fast-day. This connects to calendrical discipline used in practice (pañcāṅga-based vrata timing), though the verse itself emphasizes the devotional ethic rather than technical Vedāṅga theory.